Turkey's first sea creatures museum to open in Antalya

ANTALYA

Turkey's first marine biology museum showcasing endangered species specific to the Mediterranean will open on Thursday in the southern city of Antalya, one of Turkey's hot tourism spots.

The museum aims to create social awareness on marine protection by publicly exhibiting rare creatures and endangered species from the Mediterranean Sea. Aquaculture Engineer Elif Ozgür Ozbek, designer of Antalya Marine Biology Museum, stated that this museum will be the first one in Turkey that will publicly exhibit rare creatures and endangered species which are normally the preserve of university studies and are closed for public inspection.

Ozbek explained that they wish to open "Turkey's marine richness" to the public and said that the samples in the museum were handled with scientific researchers around the Gulf of Antalya and with the help of Mediterranean fishermen. 

 Mayor of Antalya, Mustafa Akaydin said “with the museum, the people will have the chance to examine marine life and endangered species closely.”

Approximately 500 species of marine animals including 3 of the 15 endangered species in Mediterranean will be exhibited in the Marine Biology Museum. Endangered species such as Angel Shark (Squatina cicuvelatata), guitarfish (Rhinobathos Cemiculus) and Angular Rough Shark (Exynatus Centrina) along with sea turtles (caretta caretta), 9 species of sharks, 10 species of flat sharks, approximately 150 species of bony fishes, sponges, corals, shrimps, lobsters and crabs, shellfishes, octopus, squids and cuttlefishes, starfishes and sea urchins are on exhibit.

“Educational programs and seminars will be held about the protected marine species and the endemic and exotic Red Sea-origin species,” emphasized Ozbek.

In 2012, Antalya, Turkey's biggest international sea resort, became the third most visited city in the world in the aspect of the number of international arrivals, ranking behind Paris and London respectively. Antalya previously ranked the fourth in the world in 2010 for visitors is expected to attract both domestic and foreign tourists to the new museum.

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